Happy New Year – Now Make Some Resolutions

Everyone has their New Year’s resolutions and most of them revolve around weight, some form of exercise or discontinuing a behavior detrimental to their health. Admittedly, my resolutions may include some of these too but all too often they are neglected by January 31st. This year I decided to go in a different direction. So here are my 2013 New Year’s resolutions and how you can apply them to your life or business.

Do something that pushes your comfort level. I started this resolution a month early. In December I got a haircut. Not just any haircut. The kind that makes you look like a 1950’s boy scout… i.e., my father. Anyway, I didn’t know what it was going to look like. I had never had the cut before but I wanted something different. I went for it and it turned out great. We’ve talked about this topic before. In business, we tend to get tunnel vision. We do things one way and it is hard to convince us to change. I have experienced this in my own professional career. My goal is to be “uncomfortable” once each month. That might be a little much for some people, but I challenge you to try it. You’ll find that you might just uncover a hidden talent or a business opportunity that you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

A little self-improvement can go a long way. Insert the “I’m going to take a pottery class” or “I’m going to backpack across Italy and study art” comment now. Sure, wouldn’t we all love a little more sophistication in our lives? A little more knowledge? Most people make the mistake of thinking that they have to go back to school full-time or it has to be some over-the-top course of action to achieve a little self-improvement. Back in August, we wrote about 8 Ways to go Back to School for Professionals. These are great ways you can improve your personal life by furthering your education but it is also a great way to develop knowledge that you can directly implement into your business this year. Want to have a better website? Maybe take a WordPress course online. You will get the training you need and your business will get the website it deserves!

Find a social passion and run with it. Yesterday, I wrote that Social Responsibility was going to be a huge trend for businesses in 2013. I wish it was going to be a huge trend for individuals as well. I am lucky to be involved with a great nonprofit and have been for years. It has offered me the opportunity to not only help people, but change my perspective of life outside my little box. This year, commit to finding a charity or nonprofit to get involved in. Once you find your social passion, bring it to your business. We have posted lots of articles on how social responsibility can help you market your company. It will make a difference in your personal life and the life of your business.

Upgrade your wardrobe. I know, I just lost all my male readers out there, but stick with me for a second. I can be a bit of a clothes horse, but I truly find that if I look good, I feel good and I want to be good. The same can be said about any business. Is your brand up to date? Is your logo in Comic Sans font? How about that website? Does it still look like it was developed in 1999 (no, Y2K is still not a good excuse for not updating it)? Should we even address that signage on your store window? All these elements are like a business’s wardrobe. Spend a little money and get an upgrade. You’ll feel better and your customers will feel better about interacting with you.

Hang out with some “other” friends. Friendship is great. In fact, true friendship is one of the greatest things ever. On the flip side, some friendships just have a way of making life stale. You go to the same hang-out places; shop in the same stores; heck you even forget which kid is yours. If this sounds familiar, maybe it is time for a change. No, I am not suggesting you dump all your friends, but maybe some new ones could jump start the new year. The same holds true for businesses. The new year is a great time to evaluate other vendors, suppliers and resellers….who knows, maybe even other customers!

Even if you don’t try ALL of these resolutions this year, just pick one and commit to making it happen. Changes aren’t made over night, so stick with it and you just might see some big differences in your business (maybe life) this next year. So Happy New Year from us here at Signs.com! We hope you have a happy and prosperous 2013.

Nelson James is the chief operating officer of Signs.com and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company.
Prior to joining the Signs.com team, Nelson was the president and co-founder of SEO.com. For over 6 years he helped to grow the company from 2 to over 85 employees. Nelson managed many large accounts during his tenure at SEO.com, including Dell.com.
In early 2011, Nelson was recruited to Lendio Inc., where he was VP of marketing and was responsible for the creation and management of a marketing team as well as the strategy, tactics and programs to create interest and demand for Lendio’s products and services.
Prior to his work experience, Nelson graduated Cum Laude from Brigham Young University in marketing and advertising from the communications department.
Nelson lives in Lehi, Utah with his wife and three children. He currently holds leadership positions in scouting and volunteers in his church and community.